


Dastan in Wonderland

by oxforddrama



Category: Looking Glass Wars - Frank Beddor, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (Video Games)
Genre: Alice in Wonderland References, Alternate Universe - Alice in Wonderland Fusion, F/M, M/M, Multi, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2009-04-02
Updated: 2018-02-06
Packaged: 2019-01-25 09:47:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12528568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oxforddrama/pseuds/oxforddrama
Summary: Time stands still for Dastan, Prince of Persia. When Dastan finds a mysterious fountain - the Pool of Tears - he discovers Wonderland. Now, Dastan must partner up with Alyss, Queen of Hearts, to fix his world.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I began this story quite a few years ago and never finished it. I was actually quite in love with the idea and upset that life got in the way. I plan on editing the chapters, still uploaded to Fanfiction, and continuing this overtime. The last time I looked at this story, I was still in college. So we'll see how much I end up changing.

A man with the power to control even the smallest grains in the Sands of Time is stuck in a life when time has come to a halt. His world does not move, all fluidity stricken from its waters, the winds, the veins of the civilians stopped in their very step. Their breaths snatched from their lungs. Yet, Dastan - Prince of Persia - felt more stuck than anyone else.

When the rift in time happened, Dastan spent the first week wandering through buildings and up and down streets. He hadn't explored the kingdom so intimately in some time; Dastan was ashamed it took torment to make him really _look_ at his people. He saw them all stricken with unimaginable terror and admirable bravery as danger drew near them. Men, women and children were running, crouching and hiding from villains and their weaponry - anything sharp, anything to leave marks on the innocent. To the enemy, this indulgence was a drug; to the Prince it was a poison. When staring at inevitable corpses became even too much for him, Dastan would look out across the sea of sand that created grainy surfs for miles beyond his kingdom—a kingdom he could no longer claim with pride. Dastan could remember children playing in the waves of sand as if it were a tropical paradise—laughing and cheering. He even indulged in the fun once or twice when he was younger. Now, the desert looked as desolate as anyone else would define it. 

Life no longer felt certain or worth it, when even death couldn't have spared those still stuck in time around him. 

In lieu of a real death, it came in progressions of disparity for Dastan. Death became a byproduct of his own work. For how long could his people suffer before even time would not be enough? As Dastan wandered and stared into the breathless beings caught in time, he looked into their still eyes and saw who desired to live and fight by the fire burning behind each expression. If only they could have helped the Prince in his pursuit to take out the Vizier.

When the Vizier of the Maharajah tricked the Prince into releasing the Sands of Time from the Hourglass of Time two years before with the Dagger of Time, all things considered living in Azad transformed into monsters—Sand Creatures. In a fight to save his life and save his kingdom's sultanate, Dastan paired off with a woman by the name of Farah. Even now, Dastan can remember Farah distinctively—her dark skin, dark hair and alluring eyes. In spite of her eventual betrayal, Dastan's memory of her lingered often. Her skin against his, in the heat of their world falling apart, felt real. 

Dastan had succeeded in freeing Azad of the Sand Creatures, but it was not the end of the war against his people. With the Dagger of Time and his medallion around his neck, Dastan had all of the powers the Hourglass of Time had to offer, but the Prince did not account for the Vizier's wrath. The monsters-turned-men that had once swept across Dastan's home, turned against the Prince and his people. The Vizier drew in his victims and created an army. Now they all hung in the air or were firm on the ground like stone statues - _in memoriam_ of a kingdom's battle. There was little to explain the sudden freeze of time; Dastan's only adviser who would know the answer had also fallen prey to the rift. The prince merely wielded the tools made accessible to him. He wasn't a great scholar with all of the answers. 

In a time where darkness had poured over these citizens' lives every day, Dastan was pleased that those frozen in a frame with evil men swinging knives to their heads were still able to show some sort of emotion on their cold faces. Dastan wished he could master such a skill. After all his fighting, the result was a lifeless warrior. It was the only characteristic that helped him look at his people and not cringe at their predicament; he was lost long before this. 

After two years of wasting away in a still-life painting, Dastan hid himself in a cove in the woods. He knew, without help, he'd never survive crossing the desert alone. He spent days gathering food and imagining a world beyond Persia still breathing. He had doubts the Vizier's reach was beyond the sand, but he knew he would never know. In isolation, it was dark and lonely—but the concept was hardly beyond him—and Dastan decided his only sanctuary would be a journal. He reworked an old book he brought with him to the cove. The book had a leather cover and fragile papyrus paper. He rebound the book with string from his clothes, and with ink he made from clay, spit and a small amount blood, he set to work telling his story. Perhaps, he thought, someone would find the journal and know what happened to his people—he could only hope the Vizier will relinquish his people from this Hell by then. But two years later, and with no avail, Dastan could not imagine the Vizier had anything good planned for the future.

 

> _Day One,_
> 
> _Everything around me has stopped. I feel as though I am trapped in a dream that I cannot shake myself from. I have tried slapping myself, hurting myself... Nothing works. The ones that I love cannot talk back to me. I cannot do anything but sit and stare at lifeless creatures around me. I lost my Dagger of Time somewhere along the way as I was finding my way into these woods. But I needed to get away—far away..._

 

The diary entries soon drifted into memories of the past couple of years. Dastan drove himself to near madness. His journal entries transformed from an eloquent use of language to very few words and many sketches of creatures that he had imagined while he slept—all he knew were nightmares by then. His diet consisted of aphids, mulberry fruits and hardly any liquids beyond the juices from those fruits. Disorientation and paranoia stirred within him. One creature he drew more than any other was a blue, grotesque—but wise—caterpillar that was smoking a long pipe and blowing unique shapes into the air. At one point, it seemed as though the creatures he had drawn were coming off the pages and taunting him.

One night, the Prince feverishly jumped up and ran out of his cove, unaware that he was actually alone and ran towards the center of the woods. He didn't know why he was running, but his dreams told him he would find something there. They were his only active reality; he had no choice but to believe them. Leaves that had fallen from their branches were still stuck in the air, scraping Dastan as he sped off through the damp and cold. There, he found a fountain that sparkled like the mythical Fountain of Youth.

His eyes blinked several times—it had been so long since he saw something move on its own accord that his first reaction was to believe it was all in his mind. He almost pulled out some of his hair and scratched at his skin fervently. Scars now covered his limbs where he obsessively scratched as though he had parasites crawling beneath his skin. The civilized royal had degenerated into a mad savage.

He cupped his hands, shaking, and slowly walked towards the fountain. Dastan placed them under the water that fell from the top. He drank, taking his time to enjoy every last drop. The water was sweet and icy cold, refreshing him and reviving his spirits. Dastan smiled, his grin resembling something akin to madness—the muscles in his mouth hurt. The prince attempted to fix his posture, running his wet hands through his tangled hair, and looked at himself in the reflection for the first time. He didn't recognize the man peering back at him. 

The fountain was made of stone and circular. In the center, a decorative embellishment, almost like a statue, stood up with a small spout that spewed the water. The top of the embellishment was flat and when viewed from above, Dastan could see four shapes that connected together—a heart, a spade, a club and a diamond.  _What is that?_  He observed a bit longer, but the water he had sipped before seem to already soak into his system—his core was bone-dry. He drank another handful, and traced his hand on the fountain's textural structure. Words were carved into the stone around the edge. "In the Pool of Tears you will find a world the looking glass hides," he read out loud, slowly, realizing it was the first time he had spoken that day. His throat felt raw. Curiously, he moved his hand up to the embellishment and wrapped his fingers around the top. The water stopped flowing. Dastan felt tears well up behind his eyes. He couldn't have yet another thing lose its life because of him. He let go and took a step back, pleading for its water to return.  _  
_

The earth began to shake, and the world around Dastan broke apart from underneath him. He was standing in the middle of nothingness. He looked around. The fountain was gone, and the ground beneath him began to glow. He was standing in the middle of a stained glass heart of pink, orange and yellow. Dastan looked around suspiciously. Nothing else could be seen. Surely, he must be dreaming. The glass seemed to float millions of miles high. There was a design within the stained glass heart, and when he circled around he could see that it was his medallion—circular with a waning crescent moon in the center. The heart glowed brighter and the glass shattered. The Prince fell through and landed in a forest, colorful and lively. The ground was shades of purple and light green and the trees and shrubbery were tall and curvy. His ears were overwhelmed by the sounds of life, and his eyes felt blinded by the movement of the trees, the teasing of the clouds and the rays of light that actually cast dancing shadows against the floor. Afraid, Daston clung to himself and circled around, staring at the scenery with large eyes and a rapid heart. 

Something was nipping on Dastan's ankle and turned towards it quickly. Violet snapdragons were squashed and hissing at him. "I'm sorry..." he said, without thinking.

"As well you should be," said one snapdragon in an especially snooty tone. Dastan's eyes widened even larger.  _Did that thing just talk to me?_  He almost did not believe it. He couldn't remember a more vivid dream, and he was almost terrified to wake up from it and find his throat still dry, his kingdom still frozen and the sands beyond his cove still unstirred. 

Dastan stepped backward. "Don't even think about it!" screamed a voice at him. He turned around a saw no one. "Who said that?" he asked.

"Down here!" said a violet and Dastan looked down to see a cluster of violets glaring at him. "We saw what you did to the snapdragons!"

"I'm sorry... I didn't—"

"Just watch it!"

"Sorry..."

The prince rubbed the back of his neck and closed his eyes.  _Where am I?_  His senses overwhelmed him, and he felt a migraine coming on. Perhaps the water was poisoned; perhaps this was the Vizier's last attempt at offing the Prince. The world around him seemed almost magical—vibrant colors and wild life of all sizes surrounded him. Walking a few feet forward, he stopped to see a large stone wall with two soldiers standing in front. They resembled cards; playing cards were not particularly common in Persia, but were played by those who managed to trade with the Europeans. The cards had a heart suit and possessed the faces of men. They stood stoically with their spears crossed, stopping anyone from passing through the gate. After examining the decorative nature of the wall, Dastan managed to notice the soldiers watching him carefully—but peripherally as good soldiers ought to do.

"Where does this lead?" Dastan asked one soldier. He was the two of hearts, and from what Dastan could tell, not exactly the smartest of the soldiers.

"It leads to the castle, o' course!" his eyes were somewhat crossed.

"May I enter?"

"Not without an order from the Queen!" Dastan was annoyed, but understood protocol. He turned to walk a different way.

Leaning against a tree was a young, brunette woman dressed in a fantastic white gown with hues of pink that showed off her regal, mature figure. She wore a heavily embellished crown, all covered in hearts with a thin frame that sat delicately on her head. She was looking down at marigolds that were humming a sweet tune. She was pale, perhaps European. "Hello, stranger," she said, still looking down at the marigolds who smiled in her direction. "What is your name?"

Dastan looked around. "Are you talking to me?"

"Yes."

"I am Dastan, Prince of Persia."

The woman's eyes lit up and she turned to meet the rough being. "A prince, you said?"

"Yes. Who may I ask are you?"

The woman laughed lightly. "I am Alyss, Queen of Hearts. I thought all of the Wondernations knew that."

"What are the Wonder... nations?" Dastan asked, eyes squinting to examine the Queen.

Alyss looked at him inquisitively. "You don't know where you are, do you?"

"Not exactly..." He felt his throat clench at his words; he needed another drink of water. 

Alyss looked at him understandingly and smiled, "Did you fall through the Pool of Tears?"

"A fountain," Dastan thought for a moment. "It said something about the Pool of Tears on it."

"Well, welcome to Wonderland, the best in all of the Wondernations," she said brightly while waving to the scenery around her. She smiled a stunning smile and Dastan bowed his head, smiling back. "Thank you," he said and noted her dark hair and bright eyes. This queen had sophistication that the Prince had not seen in his kingdom even before the attack. "Did you say your home is Persia? May I ask where Persia is?"

"I could not tell you what it is relative to around here," Dastan replied. "I don't think I am even in the same world anymore."

"If anything, I can assure you that you are most definitely not, but I am sure I would know what you are speaking of," she walked towards him.

"How—"

"Follow me into the castle, I can get you cleaned up and fed," she interrupted, tsk-ing at the sight of him.

Dastan sighed. "Thank you," he replied.

They walked to the card soldiers who stood in the same stoic position. At the sight of Alyss, they quickly moved their spears with a simple twitch of their arm and the two walked through and into a garden filled with snapdragons, marigolds, violets and marguerites in an assortment of colors. Dastan had not seen such color in quite some time. A fuchsia larkspur and red rose rested at the castle doors. "Good afternoon, Queen!" they sang to her, and she bowed her head. "This way," she motioned to the Prince, no longer behind her. When Alyss turned around, she spotted Dastan swatting furiously at a rocking horsefly that had flown in his face while he was inspecting some lazy daisies. "Ha-ha! Just ignore that little thing," Alyss said. "He will leave you alone when you begin to ignore it." Dastan looked up and saw the Queen amused and chuckled embarrassingly. She ushered him into Heart Palace.

 

...

 

Dastan received the best, hot bath he could remember and his clothes were cleaned, dried and mended. The Prince stood in front of a convex mirror and pulled out a towel rubbing it through his hair and over his face. "Oh, Dastan!" someone called. The being knocked on the bathroom door. "Dastan, sir... Umm, Prince... Sir... Are you finished in there? Queen Alyss is ready for you in the Royal Garden." Dastan opened the door and Bibwit Harte stood behind it. He was a slender, tall creature of a bunny-like nature with large, pointed ears and droopy eyes. He was trying to balance four very large books in his hand and began muttering to himself. Dastan was taken aback by the creature and offered to carry a couple of books for him. "No, no, Sir. I have it, Sir," Bibwit said nervously. "Just go to the Royal Garden. That is where Queen Alyss is waiting."

"As you wish," Dastan bowed his head to the fellow and Bibwit reciprocated the act. Dastan ran a comb through his hair, left at the vanity for him, and proudly noted that he looked like his old, royal self, minus the scars that still remained from his dark solitude.

The Royal Garden was an open area with lots of sunlight peeking through the opening of the trees that surrounded the barrier of the castle grounds. A small, white table rested in the center with two chairs. Alyss sat in one. "Hello, Prince," she said with a smile as he entered. "Won't you sit down and have some tea with me?"

"Of course, your majesty," he smiled to her. Sitting down, Dastan was able to see the Royal Garden for what it truly was—bright green with bread-and-butterflies fluttering and dancing in little plots. The hedges were tall and card soldiers stood stoically against the hedges that were lined up behind Alyss. Dastan could not stop looking past the Queen as she attempted conversation with him. He was nervous having soldiers watching his every move, and it had been some time since he had been around hordes of living beings. Alyss turned around to see what was distracting Dastan.

"Oh..." she clapped her hands calmly to get the soldiers' attention. "As you were, gentlemen!" and with that, the cards began speaking to one another and paying hardly any attention to the two of them. "I am sorry for that, they have reason to be nervous when I bring guests into the castle. Wonderland has been through some rough times."

"I can sympathize with that," Dastan replied and cautiously sipped some hot tea. "You said something about possibly knowing where I am from?"

"Yes. You see, when I was young, I, too, was lunged into the Pool of Tears and I ended up in what I believe could be your world."

"How did you get back?"

Alyss looked down, and began fiddling with her tea cup. "That, Dastan, is too long of a story to tell you in one sitting." She took a sip and regained her posture, staring directly into Dastan's eyes like a warrior would an ally or foe. "But if you want, I can try to help you."

"I am not sure if you can help me," he replied. "Something terrible has happened in my world."

"What is it?" Alyss asked. Dastan went through a brief explanation of his toying with the Hourglass of Time, the war with his people that had morphed into monsters, and the sudden glitch that his world has suffered due to his carelessness. "That is horrible," Alyss said with wide eyes. For a moment, sadness crossed her face as the Queen recounted her 13 years in that world and how hard she tried to protect it. "What can I do to help?"

"Well, for one, the fact that the Pool of Tears was even deep in the woods of my world is strange enough, I think—"

"Not really," Bibwit said who appeared from the clearing. "When one is in desperate need of something new or an answer, sometimes you can imagine it there."

"That is true," Alyss added. "Imagination is a key tool to master in Wonderland."

"I made the Pool of Tears appear?"

"That might be my fault," Alyss said.

"It is your fault, Alyss," Bibwit said, looking frustrated at the woman. "I have been telling you since you were little to stop playing with White Imagination! According to my studies, the two of you could have linked your thoughts as she was daydreaming outside of the castle walls—as usual—and you were in your state in the middle of the woods."

"I don't know how true that could be," Dastan said. "In my world, imagination is something children play with. It's not a powerful tool, at all." Bibwit huffed a little from his spot a few feet away from the two. The prince was too ashamed, however, to admit that the large hare may be correct; he was just coming out of his delusion, and uncertain he wasn't still just dreaming. 

"Unfortunately, that's where people of Earth always seem to get it wrong," Alyss replied plainly and continued to sip her tea. She added sugar to her newly-poured cup and continued sipping, looking at Dastan as his eyes and mind drifted.

Dastan slowly reached for his medallion to discover it missing. "Oh no..." he said quietly.

"What is it?" Alyss asked, placing her teacup back on its saucer.

"My medallion—it helps me control time. It must have fallen off... I have to go back."

"Unfortunately, it could be anywhere by now. There are all sorts of creatures in Wonderland... It was shiny, wasn't it?" Alyss asked.

"Yes."

Bibwit sighed. "There are so many dim-witted creatures in Wonderland. Mr. Shiny could have attracted any of them."

"Well, before I take your offer in assisting me, I  _have_  to find that medallion... It's all I have left."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prince Dastan, Queen Alyss and Bibwit Harte set off to find the Persian medallion. The run into an old friend and Royal confidant, and make a discovery in the Chessboard Desert.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! I found a bit of courage to completely revise the second chapter and update it on Fanfiction and post it for the first time here! Let me know what you're thinking of this crossover.

Two travelling, repulsive-looking, green caterpillars sat by the shore of Chessboard Desert, smoking from their hookah pipes and blowing smoke into the air—smoke rings and odd shapes floated above them, then faded out of existence. Between puffs, they were chuckling and muttering to each other as the smoke shapes went from ridiculous to lewd. The ground beneath them was covered by sand, dust and ash. The shore was mostly vacant by the desert; the nomadic two decided to enjoy themselves for a little while in the absence of much other life.

A glint of an object shown itself in the rays of the sun. One caterpillar, by the name of Baader, lazily opened his eyes a bit wider as he spotted it glittering in the gulf of water that met the sands. Baader tapped his pipe lightly in the direction of the tide. "Look, Wafer," Baader said softly. The object washed ashore, twinkling in their direction.

"What is that?" Baader asked. The edge of his pipe was pointed at it with pause.

"I don't know," Wafer answered. He moved slowly and reached down with a groaning complaint of movement to pick it up.

The object was held down by the weight of a small crab hanging from the chain by one claw. "Get off, bugger!" Wafer exclaimed and shook the creature loose - his gestures becoming much more animated and lively than he had been before. The two caterpillars examined the medallion closer. Its gold was still smooth, only obscured in its polish by the grimy sand still clinging to it.

"Finders keepers!" Baader exclaimed, snatching it fast. He began waving it in front of Wafer, teasingly.

"No way, I had it first," Wafer protested, reaching for the medallion.

The two fought over the object until it slipped from their fingers and hit the ground. They both sighed—exhausted from the short fight—and resumed their previous positions of laziness, leaning against themselves to inspect it from afar, now half-buried in ash and sand. The design looked ancient and symbolic with a waning crescent impressing itself in the alloy. The two looked up at one another lazily. Baader took a long puff from his pipe and then blew smoke into the air; the smoke took the form of the crescent on the new-found treasure. "Seems a little pathetic that we are fighting over the first treasure that we manage to find on our travels," he said.

"Not the first," Wafer corrected. "Let us not forget the oyster pearls that that rather obnoxious walrus traded us for a bouquet of marguerites that he wanted for his garden."

"Ah yes," Baader said and blew another puff of smoke from his pipe. He looked at his friend inquisitively. "Who could forget that strange fellow?" He scratched his chin.

"Not I," the fellow caterpillar said and pulled out a leather coin purse full of shimmering white pearls. "Such a miraculous color." Wafer's eyes grew a bit wider as they slowly took in the white sheen.

"Yes, yes, my good sir. Definitely a beautiful sight." Baader slowly picked up the medallion and stuck it in the same pouch that held the pearls. "This 'ought to be worth something, don't you agree, my dear sir?"

"Why yes," Wafer said and put out his pipe in the ashen ground. "Where to next?"

"I say we return to the Valley of Mushrooms. There is probably something there that we missed."

"Alright then, fine fellow. Let us continue our journey." And off they went.

...

After tea, Alyss, Dastan, Bibwit and two four-card soldiers set off through Wondertropolis, Wonderland—out of the palace gates and towards the Whispering Woods. The group walked past the wet ground from which Dastan emerged, next to the violets and snapdragons that had yet to forget about the Prince and his grand act of terrorism upon his entrance into Wonderland. The snapdragons hissed, and Alyss laughed heartily. "I see you made more than a few friends in your short time here."

"Ha. Ha. Ha." Dastan huffed. "Let's look around here." His eyes wandered around the ground, noting the unmistakable imprint of his buttocks still pushed into the grass.

Dastan walked over to the still damp spot on the ground, ignoring the flowers that tried to nip at his arm, and moved his hand through the grass, leaves and dirt. Nothing. The card soldiers with them attempted to look in the bushes until one could be heard screaming. The other ran over to assist him and found that his fellow soldier got his head caught in some weeds. Bibwit rolled his eyes and began muttering to himself again. Alyss simply stood in the middle of the group and shut her eyes slowly. Dastan turned around to see the Queen, arms folded, and eyes shut. "What are y—"

"Shh!" Bibwit interrupted and waved his arm exhaustingly. The rabbit went back to what he was doing, muttering: "Dumb oaf, you do not interrupt Imagination. Especially not the Queen's concentration!"

When Alyss opened her eyes, she saw that nothing had happened. Sighing, she walked towards the edge of the Whispering Woods and closed her eyes again. Raising her hands, the vegetation that blocked their path, bowed to their queen and parted into a clearing.

"This way, gentlemen," she said, commanding their attention. "It is not here. We shall continue on." At that, the soldiers assumed the position for a march.

"I second that statement," Bibwit said and walked towards the Queen of Hearts. "If it were here, it would probably be obvious. I've used all physical and Imaginative means I can conjure to bring the medallion—if within this vicinity at all—back, and my attempts have been less than successful."

Dastan sighed, choosing to ask more questions about this  _imaginative_ magic later. "How far could it have gotten?"

"Only time will tell," said one card soldier. The group of five walked into the woods, leaving Wondertropolis' boundary and Heart Palace behind.

"If you look this way," Alyss began while pointing. "We will be heading past the Wondronia Grounds and into the Valley of Mushrooms. That's our best bet. Many treasures have been found and stolen there." The woods were dark and the trees moved gracefully through the wind. Dastan looked at the tree tops admiring the way the trees swayed—the feeling of the wind brushing against his face was invigorating. He hadn't felt such breath of life in ages, he silently questioned if he was still dreaming. If he listened closely, he thought the trees could be whispering.

"Shut up, shut up!" Bibwit could be heard saying, and this time, even Alyss stopped and stared at him curiously.

"What is it, Bibwit?"

"Listen..." Bibwit spoke softly, looking up at the tops of the trees. The rest looked up and heard the same noises.

Alyss raised her hands and spoke aloud. "Do not be alarmed, friends!" The trees moved through the wind again. "What is that..? An intruder, you say? Where?" The trees were knocked around by a heavy breeze that pushed Dastan, Bibwit and the cards backward. Alyss stood her ground against the wind, while her clothes and hair danced around wildly. Her strength was awe-inspiring to Dastan and her subjects. "Bibwit!" she commanded, lowering her arms.

"Y-Yes, your majesty?" Bibwit responded while carefully approaching the Queen.

"There is someone at the edge of the woods—take the cards and find him!" Alyss commanded with a regal sharpness and her finger pointed toward the path the group just traveled. "The prince and I will stay where we are."

"Yes, your majesty," Bibwit replied solemnly; he despised chores such as these.

"Do not worry, Dastan," Alyss spoke softly and smiled a stunning smile. Dastan merely gazed in her direction.

Several moments went by, and Alyss and Dastan were still standing silently. Dastan was playing with a large twig he found on the ground. The Queen became worrisome as time continued to tick by with no word from their companions; the fear could be seen in her glossy eyes. Dastan walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. He knew what she was thinking—he was thinking it, too. "I'm sure they are alright, Alyss," he said soothingly. Alyss looked over at Dastan and smiled softly and closed her eyes.

"I just wish I could Imagine them." The trees began to sway and Alyss' eyes flew open: "They are coming."

"Who might be with them?" Dastan felt the urge to go into a fighting stance, weapons unsheathed. Unfortunately neither weapon nor reflex was with him in the moment.

"They won't say," she sighed, disappointed at the trees for once. Footsteps were heard from far away. "Who goes there?" she called into the darkness and fixing her posture to stand tall. Dastan removed his hand from her shoulder took a step forward. Alyss gestured him behind her.

"It is I," said a strong voice.

"Show yourself!" she declared. A large, bladed object sped towards the two and Dastan pulled the Queen out of the way as she gasped. The object stuck into a nearby tree, a distinct groan came from its branches. Alyss walked over to the tree and saw that it was the familiar weapon of a friend. "That  _mad_  Hatter!" she said with great joy, her eyes welling up again knowing that her companions were not alone or hurt. The object began to shift loose from the trunk and swung its way back from where it came. Dastan flinched at its speed.

"Who?" he asked.

"Yes, Queen," said that same voice. A tall figure appeared into the clearing and bowed his head and body gracefully to his royal highness. "It is I, Hatter Madigan... At your service." The figure rose again to resume a stern, militaristic posture. "Who is this?" Hatter asked gesturing towards Dastan. There was no detectable sneer in Hatter's voice, but it was thick with firm inquisition. Dastan knew better than to dodge the tall figure's questions.

"I am Dastan, Prince of Persia."

"Persia?"

"Yes, sir."

"I remember mentions of Persia years ago," Hatter said. "When I set out looking for our dear Queen of Hearts—when she was just a princess—two travelers in a bar were speaking of such a place."

Dastan was curious but remembered Alyss' warning that her story was a long one and decided to let it go for now.

Alyss turned to Dastan and introduced the two. "This is Hatter Madigan, as you have heard. He is the Royal Bodyguard and has been a loyal friend to the Hearts for as long as anyone can remember." She smiled at the man. Hatter let a small smile form on his lips, then quickly let it fade into his usual stern disposition.

"What are you all doing here?" Hatter asked, suddenly realizing that they were outside of the Palace walls.

"We are helping my new friend, here. He fell through the Pool of Tears—"

"Due to the Queen's carelessness," Bibwit interrupted; Hatter rolled his eyes and Alyss pushed Bibwit aside.

"He fell through the Pool of Tears; his world is in trouble, and the only way we could even think about helping him is if we find his medallion."

"Medallion?"

"Yes," Dastan said. "Gold. Moon in the center of it. On a heavy chain. Does that sound familiar?"

"I saw  _something_  to that extent. An object like that has a tendency of sticking out around here. I am sorry to say I was busy with my own affairs and did not bother to stop the little bugger that had it."

"Where?" Dastan said eagerly.

"The little crab was crawling across the shore and into the ocean towards Outerwilderbeastia, but that was when I was back over near the edge, way over there," he pointed towards the opposite side of the woods.

"Splendid..." Alyss moaned.

"What is Outerwil—?" Dastan asked with a bewildered look.

"Outerwilderbeastia, the center of the Wondernations," Alyss corrected him. "Imagine a lot of water and land filled with random creatures with which you would never wish to cross paths."

"Look at the sky beyond us," Bibwit interjected, pointing towards an opening in the woods leading to the dangerous boundary of Outerwilderbeastia. The wind was blowing hard and the rain was striking the ground like a match to pavement. "I doubt the little creature made it there."

"True," said Hatter, sounding darker than before. The object he had thrown into the tree popped out into a shape of a top hat in his hand, and he placed it back on his head.

"Everlasting Forest?" Alyss inquired.

"Never," Bibwit replied. "Crabs are not the brightest, but they do know that they would never survive in such an area."

"Chessboard Desert?" Hatter asked.

"That is a more plausible hypothesis," Bibwit returned.

...

One hour later, arguing back-and-forth, the two caterpillar travelers began pulling at the leather purse carrying the pearls and medallion while covered in clouds of smoke. Both were balancing pipes in their mouths and tugging with their free hands. Their speech only came out in mutters and emitted more smoke from their nostrils. Frustrated and exhausted, the two sluggish creatures stopped tugging. Wafer threw the bag at Baader. "There, you can hold it. I trust you, mate."

"What? All of a sudden?"

"Well, I was thinking... As we were tugging... About all the times that you had opportunities to lie to me, and refused. You are a good fellow."

"Aw, thank you, my fine friend. You are a travelling companion like no other." Baader tucked away the purse in his bag and they continued walking. "I cannot believe we actually thought that we would steal from one another."

"Let us continue and perish the thought," Wafer said while waving his hand dismissively.

"Hear, hear!" Baader said triumphantly throwing his arms into the air.

A mile away, Dastan, Alyss and the Queen's subjects were making their way out of the Whispering Woods. Dastan and Alyss were laughing amongst themselves—mostly at Mr. Harte's expense—and making Hatter smile more than usual for such a character. The guards traveled behind Hatter, per orders, and listened to the path behind them. The group had finally reached the end of Whispering Woods that met Chessboard Desert when Baader and Wafer approached.

"Good day," grumbled Baader towards the others as the caterpillars headed past them, hardly giving them notice. Dastan looked up to see the caterpillars, eyes widening in disbelief. He tightened one hand into a fist.  _That nightmare..._  Just the sight of the strange caterpillars caused the warrior prince to close himself in towards Alyss and Hatter from fear.

The Queen looked at him concerned. "Don't mind them, Prince," she said softly. "They are mean towards everyone but their own."

"Yes, but..." Dastan began. Hatter stopped, as did everyone else, and they noticed the pain marked across his face.

"What?" Hatter asked, growing suspicious of his behavior.

"Before I fell into the Pool of Tears, I started having these... Nightmares."

"What were the dreams of?" Alyss asked, concern covering his face. She grabbed his wrist, his hand still clenching into a tight fist.

"Those...  _Things_  over there..."

"The caterpillars?" Bibwit joined in inquisitively. "That is a little strange." Bibwit turned to Hatter Madigan. "Hatter..." He whispered.

"What?" Hatter said, leaning towards the rabbit.

"Get their attention, there is something fishy about two creatures such as those wandering outside their natural niche."

"You're right," Hatter whispered back, his brow lowering more over his eyes, darkening his stare. "You there!" Hatter shouted to the two caterpillars. The incongruous creatures both lazily turned around.

"Yes?" Baader and Wafer said in unison, smoke pouring from Wafer's pipe.

"By order of the Queen a search has been placed on the two of you!" Alyss spoke out, letting go of Dastan.

"Why is that?" Wafer snootily questioned, looking Hatter up and down.

" _Why is that?!_ " Hatter glared at the two and took a step towards them. The folds over the creatures' eyes spread out as their eyes widened in fear. Hatter continued, "You dare challenge the Queen of Hearts?" The caterpillars recoiled. "Empty your pockets and bags!" Hatter demanded with a sinister growl. Alyss stood proudly behind as she watched her Royal Bodyguard command as he had.

The gruesome, green monsters did as they were told. As Hatter approached the bag that contained the medallion, Baader reacted with a small gruff and tried to cover it up as though he were just clearing his throat. Wafer, on the other hand, had been so consumed in his fear he never exhaled the vapor taken in from his hookah and was turning an odd shade of grey and white from a lack of oxygen. Hatter stopped rummaging through Baader's bag and smirked maliciously. "Why  _is_ it that two caterpillars, such as yourselves, would be caught in Chessboard Desert, and not in the Everlasting Forest where you both belong?"

"We are travelers," Baader said grumpily.

"Travelers? Must mean you enjoy the pleasures of finding new treasures, does it not?"

"Maybe so," Baader, still frightened, managed to regain his usual tone of lazy sarcasm and disinterest.

"Oh, I think it is so," Hatter replied and reached into the bag, pulling out the small, leather purse. "What is in here?"

"A few findings along the way," Baader admitted and noticed Wafer flashing him a look of grief. Wafer was now as white as a ghost and began to choke, smoke emitting from his mouth and nose. Hatter took it as a sign and opened the purse. He found a handful of pearls and a medallion. "Prince?" Hatter called for Dastan. Wafer opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it—his color was just starting to look grotesquely green again.

"Yes?" Dastan asked a bit more relaxed now.

"A waning crescent... That is what lies in the center of your medallion, correct?"

"Yes!" Dastan rushed to Hatter's side.

"Here you are," he said and handed the medallion to the Persian royal.

"Thank you," Dastan sighed and strung the medallion around his neck. The nakedness that he had felt from its absence was relieved.

"Get out of here, you slimy worms," Hatter growled at the two caterpillars. Baader and Wafer gathered their things and continued on their way a bit quicker than they had been moving during the whole of their travels. Wafer attempted to seal the purse back, dropping a few pearls along the way. Neither bothered to stop and retrieve them. 

"That was too easy," Dastan observed as he held onto the medallion hanging from his neck.

"You're right... Let us just keep an eye out," Alyss said.

...

Hatter built a fire. It was dark and cold and the clan found relief near the edge of the desert. Bibwit Harte and the cards were fast asleep in a cozy, elaborate tent that Alyss had Imagined. "The Pool of Tears is on the other side of Wondertropolis, across from Heart Palace," Hatter said as he made his way into the tent. "We will continue in the morning."

"We will get you home, Dastan," Alyss said firmly. The two royals sat side-by-side on a log. The fire burning brightly in front of them - another wisp of life Dastan had sorely missed from his world. 

"I don't think I can go back home to the silence, though," Dastan admitted.

Alyss frowned. "Well, you need a little bit of help when you get there, don't you?"

"Yes."

"We won't leave you until the job is done," she said smiling that stunning smile Dastan had grown fond of in such a short amount of time. He smiled back, and they both looked to the fire. The night faded into darkness, and they settled against the log and fell asleep.

> _It was dark. Farah and Dastan stood across from one another in a stone room lit by two candles on either side. As the flame licked the wick of the candles, the light seemed to flicker in and out, making it difficult to focus on one another. She was angry. He was not._
> 
> _"_ _You will never get anywhere, the way you let people walk all over you, Dastan." Farah looked at Dastan with her dark, alluring eyes. The prince felt as though they were smoldering him. The dark hue he used to adore resembled something more of a putrid coal. "You are a failure," Farah continued. "It is so easy to drive you from your goals."_
> 
> _"That's not true, Farah," he said frustrated._
> 
> _"Well, why else would I have taken off after that damned Vizier locked us up together?" she smirked._
> 
> _"Quit running away, Farah... Please. You'll never get anywhere if you keep running away. You have to try and fix things." Dastan pleaded with Farah, eagerly, hands gesticulating._
> 
> _"That is the problem with you: You are always trying to fix things," Farah said, laughing lightly._
> 
> _Dastan walked to her slowly and grabbed her hands. The walls shook, and the ground beneath Farah crumbled. She began to fall. Dastan jumped back, and suddenly felt his heart rip out of his chest. Falling to his knees, he clenched the edge of the floor tightly; the broken stone scraped and pierced his hands. Dastan suddenly remembered all he had ever felt for Farah in a flash and his chest barely moved as he tried to heave a sigh for his loss. Suddenly, a hand touched his shoulder. The Prince of Persia jumped lightly then turned to see Alyss, Queen of Hearts, standing behind him, wearing a gown more accustomed to Persian women—figure hugging and of a simple, sleek fabric. Looking radiant as ever, her dark hair fell a couple of inches past her shoulders and her eyes gazed into his. He stood up._
> 
> _"Forget her, Dastan," she spoke softly and grabbed his hands. "She may think trying to change things is pointless, but I know when you make a mistake, the world cannot truly forgive you until you fix what you've broken. It's the burden we bear as leaders. She may have been a princess, but she had a long way to go before she could ever become queen."_
> 
> _Alyss pulled Dastan into an embrace that he had not known for so long. She pulled away gently and clasped the medallion she had quietly stolen from him around her neck._
> 
> _"What are y—"_
> 
> _"Shh..." Alyss interrupted, soothingly, and closed her eyes. With a flick of her wrist, a large monster was summoned from her Imagination. The monster stood several feet tall _—as tall as a building _—__ with teeth twice the size of Dastan's head. The beast had thick, bumpy skin and a large muscular body. As the creature moved more into the light Dastan was shaken with fear as he noticed an impressive wingspan. The Prince jumped back in fear, but the jabberwocky was quicker and lunged at him, swallowing him whole._

Dastan woke in shock. He double-checked that his medallion was in its proper place. After the confirmation eased his mind, he wiped away the cold sweat from his brow. Dastan knew he couldn't let his nightmares consume him as they had in the cove—they will eat him alive before the group makes it to the Pool of Tears. He could not afford to lose himself before they made it back to his world - but that winged beast now haunted him awake. He wondered if, like the caterpillar, that thing was also real here - here in  _Wonder_ land. 

The night passed on and the Prince continued to rest against the log alongside Alyss. Hatter stirred occasionally, watching him thoughtfully from the tent when he woke. Hatter lost his princess once and he couldn't afford to lose his Queen—he needed to know she was safe.

Dastan looked up at the sky. His sleepy gaze made the stars look as if they were melting into the abyss. He turned and noticed the sleeping Queen nestled comfortably near him. He felt Alyss' breath against his skin as her breathing grew deeper the further into her sleep she fell. He was reminded that this is what life is. These little moments you take in: children playing on the surfs of sand, wind blowing against one's face, stars lighting up a dark sky and the feeling of breathing in and out slowly and fully. He wished his people could feel these moments again, but he could not spoil the moment by hating what was not. Dastan realized that life was about endurance and joy—not just bearing life but loving it.

Alyss was hiding something—not in the same way Farah had—Alyss was a real royal. She was regal, elegant and earnest, but she had a story to tell; he was just waiting patiently to find out how a young queen could learn such strength. She was a warrior—Dastan could always tell the warriors from the victims. She had a power he did not understand, but he knew it was real. If she had Imagined him here he could only hope that whenever he wakes up in the Persia he once knew, he would still feel her next to him—even if their thrones would always be worlds away. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rumors swirled around Wonderland of Redd's return - citizens were divided between those who believed her defeat ended with Alyss being crowned queen, while others believed it was only the beginning. Heart Palace stood with the latter. But nothing could prepare them for the attack in the desert.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! I revised the third chapter, so I thought it was the best time to post it here on Ao3. Hope you enjoy. Please leave kudos/reviews.

Just as time would have it, night turned into day and Dastan woke from another strange dream. The rest of the group began to stir at the brightness of the morn'.

The feeling of falling was still deep in Dastan's gut as he tried to sit up. Alyss stretched shortly after him and smiled to the two card soldiers fighting their way out of the tent. Bibwit Harte exited the tent with ease and could not suppress his chuckle when he spotted two royals had taken slumber against a log - as if they were nothing more than peasantry. Alyss smiled as she remembered some of her fonder moments as a child in the woods of the Wondernations. Even by their own standards, the wooded areas of Earth were just as pleasant. She lifted her head to the sun and closed her eyes against its warmth. "We have to keep moving forward if we hope to get to The Pool of Tears soon," Hatter said as Alyss dissipated the tent with a quick flick of her wrist.

Bibwit shook his head. "Imagination is important, Queen, but please… Learn to do some things without it? I've told you about tampering and—"

"I get it, Bibwit," Alyss said and flashed an elegant smile that Dastan perceived as fake tolerance. "But do remember it is my White Imagination that did help save us. Let me have my pride just once in my life." Bibwit nodded and huffed back to gather his things.

Under the bright light of the morning, Dastan could actually see the sand beneath his feet—squares of black and white, it seemed. He chuckled a bit to himself.  _Now I get the 'chessboard' thing._  The Queen readjusted her crown on her head, straightened out her gown and brushed off the sand.

Bibwit was flipping through a rather large textbook the second everyone began walking. The turning of the pages in Bibwit's book began to drive the group mad. "What are you doing, Harte?" Hatter asked with large doses of tension fumigating the air he exhaled.

"I am reading, Madigan," Bibwit answered back just as tensely. Alyss and the two card soldiers giggled; Dastan smirked.

Hatter, with his tongue digging into his cheek, grimaced at the rabbit. "Clearly... But I am curious as to why you are making so much noise." 

"Oh... I... I'm terribly sorry," the timid tutor said. "I am just looking through an old text, hoping it will give some sort of advice that our young prince might be able to use on this little adventure of his." Hatter huffed. Dastan slowed his pace to match Bibwit's, who was in the very back of the group.

"What kinds of things do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, you might find it interesting that there are actually a lot of similarities between your world and ours."

"I don't know about that."

Bibwit looked up at Dastan inquisitively. "Could that possibly just be your state of mind due to its current predicament? I think you would probably be interested to know that many of the technologies in your world, were actually invented in ours decades, even centuries, before." Bibwit continued reading, taking extra care not to flip the pages disruptively, always keeping one watchful eye towards the peculiarly temperamental bodyguard.

One four-card began marching beside the Queen. "Oh, your majesty?" he whispered.

"Yes?"

"Is there any particular reason that Mr. Hatter is somewhat out-of-character today?"

Alyss smiled to her soldiers. "Oh, he probably didn't sleep easy last night. He is a studious protector, after all."

"Yes, your majesty." he replied and fell back in line with his fellow soldier.

"He needs to take a chill pill," said the other, chuckling softly. Hatter stopped walking and glared at the two. They lowered their heads. "Sorry..." one mumbled. Hatter continued walking.

"Look at this, Prince," Bibwit said. "It speaks of time, here."

"What does it say?" Dastan asked eagerly.

"Hm... It seems as though the issue in your world, may not be  _entirely_ your fault."

"That's impossible," Dastan said discouraged.

> _The people of Azad were healing; open wounds sewn shut. Only a few remained loyal to the Vizier's original vision. However, Dastan was losing confidence in his battle with evil-clans that moved in the shadows, rapidly growing in numbers and inviting evil into their neck of the world._
> 
> _Trapped in a dungeon with three hefty criminals, Dastan faced a most certain death. Pointed spears raced towards him, followed closely by their owners. Dastan jumped out of the way and closed his eyes. The Dagger of Time in his hand shook subtly, and the tip of its blade glowed. The charging men rammed into one another, their spears piercing each member. The Prince saw his chance and stabbed through the craniums of each man for good measure, but the sounds of their ragged, monstrous breathing were not all that stopped. In a petrifying slow-motion, Dastan felt himself hit the ground, breaking the stone beneath him. A sound wave pulsated from his dagger, paralyzing him for a moment in shock. It was a loud sound._
> 
> _His father, King Sharaman, used to tell him stories about the articles of Time. His voice was suddenly ringing in Dastan's ear like one piercing note. "The biggest mistake that any man can make is abusing the Time tools as if they were regular weapons. One has to be careful. Time is more than just two-dimensional. You cannot pretend you are a god just because you can tamper with mere minutes and seconds. It can have permanent damage beyond repair." Dastan had not used his medallion and Dagger of Time irresponsibly. He was fighting for his life and saving his people, but something had gone wrong; he wished desperately he hadn't had either with him during this fight. He stood up and looked around him. Maybe it was nothing. Dastan walked outside and found people frozen in their places. His world had ended._

"Our world may have more than just a technological influence on your world," Bibwit said to himself, snapping Dastan out of his memories. 

"What do you mean?"

"When Alyss and you both linked imaginations, the Pool of Tears appeared in your world. Someone here must have linked imaginations with someone in your world to cause the halt in the continuum."

"Who?"

"Who in your world would wish something evil on all of humanity?"

"That's a long list," Dastan said. "Do you have any ideas for who would have done such a thing in yours?"

"Unfortunately, I have a definite idea," Bibwit replied. Everyone stopped walking and turned to one another.

"Y... You don't think her Imperial Viciousness is behind all of this, do you?" One card trembled and grabbed the other.

"Who else could he possibly mean?" Alyss said. Her voice was trapped in the back of her throat.

"Don't worry about it, your majesty," Hatter said. He turned to Bibwit. "How could Redd even be a part of this? We haven't seen her for years," his voice was deep with concern and darker than ever. Bibwit began muttering to himself. "What?" Hatter asked in a frustrated tone.

"I am trying to sort it out, Madigan! Hold yourself together." The tutor took some more time to put together his thoughts. "It has to be Redd. Her accomplices have no power without her."

"Wait!" Dastan interjected. "What's next? Do we go to the Pool of Tears and enter my world, or do we stay here?"

"If Redd is back, then we probably need to go to the Valley of Mushrooms and find the caterpillars." Alyss said.

"But aren't the caterpillars trouble?" Dastan asked lowly.

"Oh, you mean those two buffoons from before?" Alyss asked and chuckled. "Who knows where they came from. There is a small group of caterpillars that look after the Heart Crystal—the power to the throne of the Heart Palace. They will know if something is happening. They always do."

"Haven't failed us yet," Bibwit chimed in.

At that moment, a distant roar could be heard by the group and Bibwit's fur stood on end. The sound was caustic and familiar to the Wonderland natives. Dastan shivered.  _Why does that sound familiar?_  The card soldiers passed nervous glances to Hatter. Hatter looked at Bibwit who had the same recognition written across his face: It was a jabberwocky. It had to be. Alyss stared in the darkness of Outerwilderbeastia with dread. 

Just as predicted, a jabberwocky—even larger and more petrifying than the one in Dastan's dream—appeared on the horizon. The group had only managed to get about a mile across Chessboard Desert, and there was no foreseeable place to hide. Hatter immediately opened his coat, revealing several blades and weaponry for the impending battle; Bibwit scurried far enough away to stay out of the line of fire. Dastan froze at the sight of it.  _Is my imagination doing this?_

"What is that?!" Dastan yelled out over the roar of the wind and the beast nearing. The jabberwocky screeched again, startling Bibwit once more. The closer it got, the more alert the group became. Alyss watched the beast rush towards the group—they still had a few minutes to spare before it made it to them. 

"That's a jabberwocky!" Alyss shouted back and looked at him with determined eyes. Power—that's what the Queen had that Dastan recognized before. It was so much more than strength. Strength meant endurance and perseverance. Power was the ability to react with stoicism and win. The Queen of Hearts did not just tolerate and push through obstacles, she dominated them. 

"What does it want with us?" he asked.

Alyss held up her hands to the air and closed her eyes. "Stand back!" she yelled out and the group did as they were told—except Hatter. He chose to hold onto her shoulders for support. Unflinching, Alyss summoned a large wind and surge of sand that knocked into the jabberwocky, causing the beast to crash several feet from them into the sand. Alyss slowly opened her eyes and turned to see Hatter already sprinting towards the beast. His strides were long and graceful. He was quicker than Dastan expected and the Prince ran behind him to assist. Alyss stood behind the two card soldiers who had positioned themselves in front of her, ready to defend.

Hatter saw the jabberwocky attempt to stand up, but the weight of its own mass, disoriented by the hit, proved difficult. The bodyguard saw his opportunity. As the jabberwocky struggled to hold itself, Hatter took a concealed dagger from his coat and stabbed it through one of the jabberwocky's eyes. The beast let out a shrill noise that could be heard across the Wondernations, and collapsed again—the one limb that had been supporting it was covering its eye from the pain.

"Hand me something! My dagger isn't here!" he shouted. Hatter, without hesitation, handed the Prince two swords from his coat that he recently procured. Even lying in pain in the sand, the jabberwocky was much larger than the two of them.

The beast elongated its neck, hoping to bite one of its oppressors. Hatter moved out of the way and knocked Dastan far from its reach. Again the jabberwocky tried to stand up and this time succeeded. It took its other arm and swiped at the ground Hatter stood upon. Hatter lost his balance and was knocked several feet back, a small tear in his fabric revealed a spot of blood—the jabberwocky had clipped Hatter with claws almost as large as the man. Dastan ran to him but Hatter only smirked and sprinted towards the jabberwocky again. The beast stood tall and roared once more—the wind and sound waves pushed against Hatter, but he pressed forward. The beast reached out again, but this time Hatter leapt high onto the arm that swiped at him and reached for the top of the jabberwocky's head.

Alyss pushed past her soldiers and walked forward slowly. Her mind was reeling with fear and anger that this beast dared to attack them. A storm swirled above them as she stepped closer. Hatter climbed onto the jabberwocky's head and stabbed its other eye. The beast flailed violently from the pain. Its screeches were loud, but were soon muffled by the sound of the storm. Hatter held on to the spikes on its back, bracing himself against the wind. When he saw his chance, he jumped down. Dastan could see how thick the beast's feet were, but saw an opportunity. The swords that Hatter had given him were long enough to pierce through with the right amount of force.

While the jabberwocky screeched from blindness and pain Dastan ran up and pointed one of Hatter's swords with the blade down above a weak point in its foot. With as much force as possible, Dastan pierced almost completely through the jabberwocky's foot and ran far enough way to avoid its kicking. Hatter saw what the Dastan had done and gruffly chuckled. Hatter ran up and did the same to the other foot with a long enough blade to hit the sand beneath its foot. The jabberwocky roared into the air, and the storm grew stronger.

Dastan turned around to see Alyss seething with anger. She got two feet from the jabberwocky, now lying on the ground helpless, and raised her hand in the air. Her brow furrowed and she flicked her wrist. Clouds began moving violently as if a tornado was soon to form. Sand was kicking up everywhere and Hatter and Dastan had to cover their mouths. The Prince flinched when he saw hundreds of somethings fly through the air where the jabberwocky was. Their speed made them impossible to catch by eye until they had almost disappeared again. Needles.

The jabberwocky let out a hideous roar. This one was its final call for help and Bibwit moved faster than Dastan had seen him yet to reach Hatter and tug on his coat. Hatter turned and looked down so he could hear Bibwit over the jabberwocky's screams. The bodyguard's brow furrowed at the rabbit's message, and he turned slowly to see the Queen walking away as the jabberwocky was sprawled across the desert torn and bloodied from her attack. She had had enough.

As Alyss passed Hatter and Dastan, she turned to the bodyguard. "I worked too hard to restore peace to my nations to see it get torn apart once more," she said. Dastan had never seen such a disposition from the young woman before this moment—she had seemed so in her element and calm. She was a royal. Right now she just seemed like a hurt and downtrodden soldier with a plight against the beasts of Outerwilderbeastia. The storm cleared and silence hung in the air before anyone responded.

"Even for a jabberwocky, that was out of place," Hatter said.

"I agree," Bibwit added. "But, your majesty, you have to be careful."

"I know," Alyss said. She seemed to have calmed down. "I will be more careful in the future. I just… I couldn't shake what I saw during the war. Her Imperial Viciousness did too much during her reign." She looked down and then met their gaze again with her usual strong, collected stare. "I just want to know why."

Bibwit and Hatter Madigan exchanged a look. "My Queen, we think its last call was a call for help," Hatter stated. Had he been any other person, he might have nervously shifted where he stood.

"I was afraid of that when I heard it," she replied.

"We should expect more," one card soldier said. The other nodded.

"We  _need_  to get to the Valley of Mushrooms." Alyss said.

...

Some natives of Wonderland have said that the highest peak of Snark Mountain might as well be renamed Mount Isolation—particularly since Redd's few remaining soldiers had been spotted hiding there. However, those that gave their testimonies to having seen the card-droids were regarded as loony. "Typical mountain hicks," some would say. To Wonderland, it was a safe bet that Redd's Fortress on Mount Isolation was no longer being occupied; if Alyss' dark aunt were wise, she would have fled to an entirely unheard of world. Any possibility of an uprising was unheard of in Alyssian Headquarters. Many arguments rose after Redd and the Cat vanished into the Heart Crystal. Each argument was merely a reflection of a Wonderland refusing to believe that bad could still happen—Black Imagination could be on the rise. Alyss, Hatter and Bibwit knew it, but they had a hard time convincing others. The damage had been so detrimental, Wonderlanders just wanted to move forward and put it all behind them.

"I wonder if that alien knows that he will have to get through me to get back home," Redd spoke softly as she pet the Cat. The two were huddled together in a small cave on top of Snark Mountain. With few weapons and four six-card soldiers, the mini-battalion had been practicing Black Imagination far from the eyes of the newly restored Heart Palace. The only glitch in their plan was the fact that all of the soldiers were so rusty with their Imaginative powers, no oil can found on Earth or in the Wondernations could save them. Nothing but practice could bring Redd and her army back to the level that had once instilled fear into all Wonderlanders.

When the jabberwocky's final cry rebounded off of every surface in the Wondernations, Redd and the Cat jolted. Redd grabbed the item nearest her and hurled it at the wall across from where she sat. Cat flinched. "I'm so tired of that little shit," she snarled.

...

Other card soldiers appeared on spirit-danes and almost ran into the group as they quickly made their way back into Whispering Woods. Dastan looked at the steed-like creatures curiously. For the first time since he met Alyss, he could actually relate to something in Wonderland. The bulldog-esque faces of the large riding beasts amused Dastan in a way.

"What was that noise, your majesty?" one of the card soldiers in front asked.

"Jabberwocky," the Queen said bluntly. "We've taken care of it. But there might be more coming."

"Understood," the card soldier said again and saluted to the two standing with Hatter in the group. They saluted back.

"Might we take your spirit-danes?" Alyss asked politely and smiled. "We need to make it to the Valley of Mushrooms fast." The card soldiers hopped off of their mounts without hesitation and handed each member of the other group a reign. The Queen and her crew mounted the beasts, and they set back on their path after saluting the card soldiers who had given up their rides so graciously.

Quickly moving through the Whispering Woods once again, the group found themselves on the outskirts of the Valley of Mushrooms. "The Heart Crystal is in the center," Bibwit directed, and the group walked through the somewhat fair terrain until they reached the center where six oracle-like caterpillars sat around chatting about their day—each one with their own distinctive color: red, yellow, orange, green, blue and purple. All of the caterpillars were grotesque in appearance—much like the thieves from the day before—but there was an aura about them that was hard to describe. Dastan considered that if the Hearts trusted these creatures so, they may be even wiser than Bibwit Harte.

"Welcome, your majesty!" cheered the blue caterpillar somewhat lazily. Dastan tried to cover a cough at the amount of smoke filling the air. The blue caterpillar's hookah pipe stuck out of his mouth like an extension of himself and he bowed his head to Hatter Madigan and Bibwit Harte, showing high regard. "Who is this?" gesturing to Dastan.

"This is our new friend," the Queen said. "He is Dastan, Prince of Persia. He came to us through the Pool of Tears."

"Ah yes, we heard rumblings of the sort earlier yesterday."

"I am sure you did," Alyss replied. Hatter stood tall and kept an eye on their surroundings. The purple caterpillar noted his behavior and nudged the blue one.

"Oh, him?" The blue caterpillar whispered. "He  _is_  acting rather strange, isn't he?"

"He has reason to be, I'm afraid," Bibwit said, overhearing the two. "Something strange is happening in Persia and we think Redd might be behind it. We had our suspicions, but now we're almost certain with the recent jabberwocky attack."

"Hmm... Now that you mention it, we have seen some strange things coming from Snark Mountain," the purple one replied.

"Oh not you too," Alyss said exasperatingly. "Do you honestly think my aunt would be that obvious?"

"Only if she thought no one else would suspect her to be," the blue caterpillar pointed out.

A sudden vermillion flash could be seen, illuminating the skies stretching from Snark Mountain to the depths of Outerwilderbeastia. "What was that?" Hatter said, alarmed. A rumble shook the rocks off the mountain and snapped some of the smallest mushrooms near the caterpillars' tracks. Alyss' face morphed from her caring, friendly demeanor, to that of the look she had when she destroyed the jabberwocky earlier.

The rumbling ceased, but a roar could still be heard and was encroaching on the group. They stared in the direction of the sound only to be greeted by hundreds of baby guinea pigs rushing passed their feet. "What the—" Hatter had almost gone cross-eyed in confusion.

After the last few guinea pigs had passed, four six-card soldiers came running next with utterly horrified looks on their droid-like faces. Hatter Madigan, so bemused by this atrocious thing attempting to resemble Imagination, reached out his foot and tripped them. Landing face-first in the dirt, they looked up and with a flick of the bodyguard's wrist his bracelets opened up and released knives that tore the cards apart.

"That's not Black Imagination, you dimwits!" screamed a woman, and the shrill, scraggly sound was recognized by everyone except the obvious, Dastan. Her voice reverberated through the valley.

"Who was that?" the Prince asked, rubbing his arms to calm his goose bumps.

"Her Imperial Viciousness," Hatter spat.

The dark, red rogue appeared from between some mushrooms and stopped dead in her tracks upon sighting the enemy. "Well, well, well," she taunted. Dastan took Redd in inch-by-inch - completely aghast at the woman so regarded as a monster. Her features were so sharp, he thought he might be looking at someone not completely human. But the color that illuminated her being was so bold and reverent that he could almost see past it to someone who might have been - at a time where her brow wasn't stapled in a furrowed expression - beautiful. 

"Where did you come from Redd?" Alyss asked, standing taller.

"From up top old Snarky, there!" she said cackling. "It's so nice to see you, too. It is funny that we should see each other like this. I trust you saw my ridiculous soldiers." Her voice moved like molasses. 

"Yeah, we saw them," replied Alyss, stepping back to reveal the dead opposition.

"Oh," Redd said nervously.

"Yes, oh," said Hatter. "Guinea pigs? Pretty terrifying." A dark grin covered his face, his eyes now shadowed by the rim of his top hat.

"Yes, well... Clearly you can see what I have been dealing with. It's quite humiliating." Redd was growing more nervous.

"Oh, I'm sure," Hatter said.

Redd took a step back and her closed her eyes. "Good-bye," she whispered and vanished.

Dastan couldn't believe how quickly she had disappeared. Alyss didn't hesitate. "Where is the Heart Crystal?" she asked quickly to the caterpillars.

"Don't worry, your majesty," said the blue caterpillar. "I have it safe and sound, rest assured."

The caterpillars lead the group to some mushrooms that formed a circular patch. The Heart Crystal rested in the middle. "See?"

"Thank you," Alyss said relieved. "Please continue to guard it with your lives."

"Yes, my Queen."

The caterpillars all bowed their head to the Queen of Hearts, and the group made their way out of the Valley of Mushrooms and back to the edge of the Whispering Woods. Spirit-danes trotting behind them obediently.

"Where to now?" Dastan asked, still somewhat stunned from the scene that had unraveled before them. Hatter looked up at the sky. It had grown dark during all of the commotion. 

"We're going to setup camp," Alyss commanded.

"Yes. That seems best," Hatter added.

Everyone started to settle down and Alyss and Dastan volunteered to pose as the lookouts so Hatter could catch up on lost sleep. In the morning, the group decided their destination would be the Wondronia Grounds. In their watch, the Prince and Queen sat on the ground near a small pond that was facing Snark Mountain, letting their feet play in the water. It was relaxing after all the travelling they had done in two days.

"So," Dastan threw a pebble into the water. "That woman… Was your aunt?"

"Correct," Alyss replied, chunking a handful of pebbles across the pond's surface. Little  _plops_  and skidding sounds followed. 

"I see the resemblance," he joked.

Alyss hit him teasingly. "Gee, thanks."

"No problem," he laughed. The two royals felt young again—not worn down by wars they had seen or subjects to lead. "Are we going to search for her?" Dastan asked.

"She's not ready," Alyss said, moving her toes in and out of the water's surface.

"You're going to give her a fair fight? After everything she's done?" Dastan asked with eyebrows raised.

"She deserves to be defeated with honor and grace."

"What makes you say that?"

Alyss' eyes began to water. "No matter all the pain she has caused me, I would never give her the satisfaction of stooping to her level."


End file.
